Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-09-23
sArashin9tun Stanlara
THElIoUSEONT THE MARSH;
THE MYSTERY OF THE ALDERS.
By FLORENCE WARDEN.
CHAPTER XIII.


less heap, lay Sarah. one arm twisted
under her and her head in q pool Of
blood. Her arm was doubtless broken
as she moaned when it was touched.
Jane and the cook were summoned aud
made their appearance. 1t was past
midnight but | was obliged to send
Jane to the village for Sam to tell him
to take one of the horses and ride to
Beaconsburgh for the doctor. And
then we crouched down and watched
her. the cook supporting the wounded
woman against her knee until the front
door bell sounded and we heard the
doctors heavy tread upon the stairs.
1t was Dr. Lowe. He said we were
right about her arm being broken. He
cut off her long black hair, bandaged
her wounds, and then placing her upon
q mattress she was carried to her own
room.
Who is going to sit up with her?"
asked he.
II will said I. but added doubtful
ly: ''If-"
If what?" said the doctor, turning
upon me sharply.
drew q little apart, and said:
"Dr. Lowe. do you think the sight OF
one she disliked very much would be
bad for herp"
He looked at me kecnly as he an
swered:
mo. She won't be able to recog-
nize any body; but I warn you she will
be restless. How did the accident hap
penn"
l told him all about it, and he ad-
vised me to get out Of the house as
soon as possible. Then after giving
instructions as to the care of Sarah he
left the house.
rat by her side for some time and
had fallen into o slight dozc when
was suddenly awakened by the low
hoarse cry of "Jim."
''Jim!" Then she added In whisper:
They are after you, jim! It's about
the check. You must be off tonight.
Go to the old place. I'll put EN- of,
and I'll let you know"
Then more mutterings and exclama-
tons, and before long She began again
to speak incoherently:
''Its too risky. Jim. I'll do it if you
want me to; but it's putting yourself
in danger as we'll as me. All right, I'll
pass it,"
Then she broke out passionately:
'.1t's an i'll thing YOU going to do,
James Woodfall. What do YOU want
of a lady for wife? Her moneys none
90 much. and, as for her pretty face.
it's the face of fool. I'm twice the
woman to look at that she is, and I'm
only twenty-five; and I've stuck to you
through thick and thin. Why don't
you marry me, Jim?"
Don't 60 for that, James,, she once
said. imploringly. It'll be a LITER il
they catch you; and they've had their
eye on you lately. There's many a
safer way Of getting money than that.
Another pause. and then came a
speech which chilled me with horror.
Dead men tell no tales, Jim,"
Said she. in another fearful whis-
per. '1t's easy done, and it's safer.
What's an old mans life. that you're
20 shy of touching himP You've done
many riskier thing. Why do you al
ways turn coward at that?"
could scarcely sit and watch this
woman fend after that I seemed to
see murder in her fierce fiery eyes; and
1shuddered even as Imoistened her dry
lips and touched her burning forehead.
She rambled on in the same style, men,
6oning other names Ihad never heard,
and not word of me or Mr.. and Mrs.
Rayner. or even of Tom Parkes, until
she broke out angrily:
''Jim's mad about that little Christie
girl. Tom. and he says he'll marry her
in spite of every thing, and I've got to
bring it about" she Kissed between her
teeth.
What awful confusion in her mind
was there to connect me with her
criminal lover of years before. There
suddenly woke up in my mind the re-
membrance of the evening when, hid
den in my "nest," had overheard u
conversation between her and Mr..
Rayuer's mysterious visitor, who had
afterward turned out to be Mr.. Car
ruthers' man servant, and I remem-
bered that she had expressed jealousy
of some man called "Jim." Was It
the same mani How was it that he
never appeared? had thought at the
time that she must mean Tom Parkes,
and that the woman she was Jealous
Of was Jane, but, ON the whole, she
got on well with Jane. and the only
person in the house against whom her
luminosity took any serious form was
myself. And now she fancied this
Jim" wanted to marry me-and
had never even seen him!
She was rambling again into the
present. though, for the next speech
that caught my attention was:
Its . good weight, Tom-Jim
mINhE hNWA Y0nt
waters deep in the cellar; but it won't
hurt the jewels. and the plate'u clean.
Come on"
Was it the Denham Court robbery
that was on her mind nowa I held nv
breath while she went on:
tom. that sneaking Christie girls
got wind of it somehow. Jim's that
gone on her he won't listen to me; and,
II l don't prevent it, she'll be his ruin"
Again that strange confusion of my
name with that OF the unknown Jim!
Ny brain seemed to be getting as much
confused as her own. 1held tightly to
the arms of my chair as l listened to
her rawlings, as if in a futile attempt to
steady body and mind. l was mad to
discover who this James Woodfall w as,
and left my chair, and drew, as if
fascinsted. nearer to the bed Us she
said:
'Talke care. Jim. You risk too
much. There must be some thief
taker in the world clever enough to
recognize the forger James Woodfall
in the jewel robber-"
At that moment, while l listened
with pulses beating high and eager
eyes for the name the door opened.
and the sick woman, distracted BY the
noise, cried: whats thatp"
It was the cook como to take nv
place. But the reaction from the high
pressure tension of my nerves during
the last few hours was too much for
me. fell fainting to the floor.
The next morning l awoke with .
headache. The grease had been re-
moved from the stairs. but l never
went down them at night without a
shudder. l telegraphed Mr.. Rayner to
tell him OF the accident, without in
forming him of the cause, and re-
ceived q reply before dinner time.
Am much distressed about accident.
Give her every care. Have sent off an
experienced nurse already"
And by the afternoon train she ar
rived-a silent. middle-aged woman.
the very sight of whom inspired re-